1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information entry apparatus and an information entry system provided with that apparatus, more particularly relates to an information entry apparatus and an information entry system provided with that apparatus suitable for services requiring quick and accurate entry and use of information in a plurality of fields (receiving calls reporting emergencies at fire or ambulance centers and police headquarters, taking reservation for use of public facilities or ticket sales, etc.)
As one example of an information entry system requiring urgency in information entry, there is the command and control system (emergency call) system for receiving emergency calls from subscribers, monitoring and interrupting operations of consoles, issuing instructions to stations, communicating by radio with dispatched ambulances, fire engines, patrol cars, and other vehicles, etc. Such an emergency call system must be quick to process emergency calls and issue instructions due to its social importance.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 18 and FIG. 19 are views for explaining the related art. FIG. 18 shows an outline of an emergency call (command and control) system of the related art. In the figure, reference numeral 1 represents a subscriber telephone (TEL), 100 a public network, 3 a line circuit (LC) terminating the subscriber line, 4 a public network exchange (NW), 5 an emergency call trunk (FPT), 20 a fire or ambulance center, 300 police headquarters, 6 an emergency call receiving trunk (FPI), 7 an instruction line trunk (LDS), 8 a private branch exchange (PBX), 9 an emergency call receiving console, and 10 an instruction receiver at a fire station, police station, etc.
When a subscriber dials a fire or ambulance emergency number by the telephone 1, the call goes through the exchange 4 and the fire or ambulance emergency call circuit of the public network and reaches the private branch exchange 8 of the fire or ambulance center 200 where it is received by the call receiving console 9. The processor processes the received call as required and quickly issues instructions (mainly by voice) to the station in charge. These instructions are sent through the private branch exchange 8 and the instruction line to the instruction receiver 10 of the station in charge. The person receiving it then dispatches an ambulance, fire engine, or other vehicle to the scene in accordance with the information of the oral instructions so that the subscriber can quickly receive emergency services in the case of illness, fire, etc.
When a subscriber dials the police emergency number by the telephone 1, the call goes through the exchange 4 and the police emergency call line of the public network and reaches the private branch exchange 8 of the police headquarters 300 where it is received by the call receiving console 9. The processor processes the received call as required and quickly issues instructions (mainly by voice) to the police station in charge. These instructions are sent through the private branch exchange 8 and the instruction line to the instruction receiver 10 of the station in charge. The person receiving it dispatches a patrol car or policeman etc. to the scene in accordance with the information of the oral instructions so that the subscriber can quickly receive emergency services in the case of a crime or accident.
Note that the communication between the dispatched vehicles and the receiving console 9 is conducted through a not shown radio line. Below, the explanation will focus on a command and control system of a police headquarters of the related art, in particular, the call receiving console, but the same applies to the command and control system, that is, call receiving console, of a fire or ambulance center.
FIG. 19 is a block diagram of a call receiving console of the related art. In the figure, 11 is a CPU for controlling and performing processing for the receiving console, 12 is a main memory (MM) for storing the programs and information to be used by the CPU 11, 13 is a CRT or other display device for displaying several fields of information relating to the case, 14 is a call routing operation panel for manual control of the exchange line system (receipt of emergency calls, monitoring and interruption of voice conversations between consoles, ending calls, etc.), 15 is a circuit interface (CIF) for connecting with the private branch exchange 8, 16 is a headset (HS) for voice use used by the person at the receiving console (processor), 17 is an alphanumeric information entry keyboard (KBD), 18 is a mouse or other pointing device (PD), 19 is a secondary information entry apparatus (digitizer/pen computer entry device/plasma display panel entry device, etc.) for assisting the entry of the alphanumeric information, 20 is a hard disk drive (HDD) used as a secondary memory for storing the program files or information files used by the CPU 11, 22 is a common bus of the CPU 11, and 23 is a paper memo ledger placed on the receiving console.
In addition, while not shown, provision is made of a monitor speaker for monitoring radio calls from the radio vehicles (patrol cars etc.) as they come in, a tape deck for recording the information obtained, etc.
Due to the above configuration, in the past, the processor would write the information obtained from the caller by hand in the memo ledger 23, then sometime after obtaining it would pick out the necessary information while checking the information written in the memo ledger and would use the keyboard 17 to successively enter the name of the case and various other matters identifying the case such as the time of occurrence, location of occurrence, station in charge, etc. using keywords in use in the station in corresponding display fields on the information screen.
Summarizing the problems to be solved by the present invention, in the related art, as described above, it was necessary for the processor to write down the information obtained on paper on a memo ledger, pick out the necessary information from the memo ledger, successively select the display fields and enter the information (keywords), and go through several other troublesome steps. Therefore, not only was time lost from writing the information in the memo ledger to the start of the keyboard entry, but also considerable time was taken for the work of selecting the display fields and entering the information there by a keyboard. In this way, considerable time and effort were required for preparing the case information. Further, the issuance of instructions and dispatch of help to the scene (initial investigation) were delayed and the caller sometimes was not able to receive speedy assistance. Further, if the processor was not yet skilled, he would not notice that certain information was missing at the time of writing the memo and would only find that information was missing when entering information from the keyboard.
Note that in the related art, a system is also known of using a digitizer 19 instead of the memo ledger 23. The memo information entered into this digitizer 19, however, is only recorded as it is electronically. Therefore, after the memo is written, it is necessary to enter the information from the keyboard 17 in the same way as above.
Further, in the related art, a system is known of writing the information in a memo ledger 23 (or entering it in a digitizer 19), then using a pen computer or plasma display panel or other touch entry device (secondary information entry device) 19 to enter information in the corresponding display fields by touch. In this case as well, however, after writing the memo, it is also necessary to extract the necessary information and select the information on the touch panel. Skill and time are required for this work. Further, there are limits as to the information of the fields which can be displayed on a touch panel at one time.